Mongolica. Vol. XXIX, No. 2 / Ed. by I. V. Kulganek (editor-in-chief), D. A. Nosov (secretary), M. A. Kozintcev (deputy secretary). St Petersburg, 2026. 112 p. ISSN 2311-5939.

On the 70th Anniversary of Natalia S. Yakhontova — 5

PHILOLOGY

Natalia S. Yakhontova. The “Golden Dharanis” Work from the Canonical “Sutra of the Golden Light” — 7
The Oirat manuscript “Golden Dharanis” from the collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, RAS is an abridged version of the eighth chapter of the canonical “Sutra of the Golden Light”. The author carefully selected extracts from the text of the eighth chapter and created an independent work preserving the main idea of this chapter — to provide the opportunity to acquire a lot of virtues, achieve enlightenment, and fulfill one’s wishes through veneration of the Buddhas and recitation of the dharani syllables. The manuscript is written in Dzungar script occasionally using the galik. The article presents evidence of its translation from Tibetan, as well as a facsimile of the manuscript, a transliteration, and a translation with commentary. The commentary contains over 40 names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas mentioned in the text, with their Mongolian, Tibetan, and occasionally Sanskrit parallels.
Keywords: Oirat manuscripts, dharanis, Sutra of Golden Light, translations from Tibetan.

B. Oyunbileg. About One Prayer Poem Composed by Gem Wise Pandit, Khenchen Rinpoche Jamiyangarav — 18
The article is a study of the biography and works of one of the most important representatives of Mongolian and Tibetan literature of the 19th century, an outstanding writer, literary critic, philosopher of Buddhism and a well-known public figure Surenkhoryn Jamiyangarav. The author has focused on the main sources and artistic features of S. Jamiyangarav’s heritage, analyzing them in a historical and cultural context. The article offers a bibliography of S. Jamiyangarav, who was one of the most educated people of his time specializing in five main fields — Buddhist philosophy, literature, medicine, astrology and Sanskrit. He also made great contributions to poetry, logic, ethics and art, being the author of more than nine volumes of works on philology in the Tibetan language. Despite the fact that S. Jamiyangarav lived in the early 20th century, archival materials and records of his life and work are extremely rare, and his works are difficult to find in libraries and manuscript repositories. One of S. Jamiyangarav’s works discovered by his descendants is analyzed in detail.
Keywords: Khenchen Rinpoche Jamiyangarav, creative scholarship, prayer poem.

Irina V. Kulganek, Dmitry A. Nosov. An Early Translation of the Stele of Genghis Khan Inscription Kept in the Mongolian Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences — 24
The article is devoted to the study of a handwritten document in Mongolian, German, and Russian, which is part of the collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IOM RAS). The manuscript represents early attempts to reconstruct, read, and translate the epigraphic inscription on the so-called “Genghis Khan’s Stele”, which is currently on display in the Oriental Department of the State Hermitage Museum. In the 19th century translation of the inscription sparked intense scientific debates, which continue to this day. The study of the document kept at the IOM RAS, allows to conclude that the problem of reading the stele was of interest not only to the scholars who published their translations, but also to other researchers who did not publish any articles on the “Genghis Khan’s Stele”.
Keywords: Genghis Khan’s Stele, Mongolian manuscripts, Mongolian epigraphic inscriptions, history of Mongolian studies.

Svetlana S. Sabrukova. Visual Aids for Buddhist Ritualism: Instructions for Preparing Offerings to Deities from the Tibetan Collection of the IOM RAS — 37
The article provides an analysis of a newly identified graphic source from the Tibetan Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts (IOM) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Based on a manuscript folio from codex A-17286, the study examines the methodology of creating torma (ritual sculptures) intended for the cycles of Buddha Amitayus and Buddha Kunrig (Vairocana). The author explores the synthesis of visual imagery and textual instructions, which allows for a reconstruction of the hierarchy of offerings and the structure of the altar mandala. The paper describes the physical condition of the artifact and records the presence of a secondary paper backing containing fragments of Mongolian and Tibetan texts; this evidence points to the intensive practical use of the manuscript by practicing lamas. An analysis of the terminology and the structure of the offerings enables a reconstruction of the mechanisms of interaction with sacred space and the protection of life, characteristic of the Buddhist tradition in Buryatia and adjacent regions.
Keywords: IOM PAS, Tibetan Collection, Composite manuscript, Buddhist rituals, torma, Amitayus, Kunrig, iconography, Buryatia, manuscript.

HISTORY. HISTORIOGRAPHY

Larisa B. Zhabaeva. The Struggle of the Soviet Union for the International Legal Registration of the Mongolian People's Republic (1945) — 46
This article examines the key role of the Soviet Union in the international recognition of the Mongolian People’s Republic. I. V. Stalin made numerous decisive efforts to secure recognition of its international legal status. The main stage in resolving the Mongolian question was achieved at the second meeting of the “Big Three” leaders at the Yalta (Crimean) Conference in February 1945, which was reflected in the Agreement on the Far East adopted by the Allies. The author notes that during the Soviet-Chinese negotiations in the summer of 1945, the issue of the sovereignty of the Mongolian People’s Republic was a key issue discussed during all nine summits in the Kremlin. Ultimately, Chiang Kai-shek’s government agreed to grant Mongolia independence on the condition that plebiscite be held. On October 20, 1945, a historic referendum on independence took place in the Mongolian People’s Republic, as a result of which China recognized its sovereignty.
Keywords: Mongolian independence, USSR, China, Yalta Conference, negotiations, plebiscite.

Rustam F. Nabiyev. The Great Mongol Empire as a Carrier of Artillery Technology in the 13th Century — 52
The article examines the initial stage of the spread of firearms in Eurasia. Through a comprehensive study incorporating data and methods from paleography, source studies, comparative linguistics, ethnography, archaeology, various aspects of military affairs, geography, and other scientific disciplines, the author concludes that the main bearers of artillery technology in the 13th century were the troops of the Great Mongol Empire. No less significant are specific conclusions: it is highly likely that the Mongols adopted firearms technology before their attack on the Chinese Empire of the Song Dynasty, gaining access to the wealth of the “barbarian” empires of the Khitan, Tanguts, and Jurchens. The latest date for the acquisition of gunpowder technology can be considered 1227, the year of the capture of the Tangut capital, which was armed with artillery. Written sources contain names of the projectile weapons used by the Mongols, typical of barrel artillery. This circumstance provides compelling grounds for confidently classifying bullets, cannonballs, tubes, and barrels found in 13th-century strata as firearms accessories. The combination of various facts and information allows us to assert that the troops of the Great Mongol Empire also used firearms during their offensives in Central Asia and Europe. The author notes the priority of the Mongols, Turks, and Eastern Slavs over Western European states in familiarizing themselves with firearms.
Keywords: Great Mongol Empire, Tanguts, Jurchens, artillery technology, projectile weapons.

RELATED DISCIPLINES

Igor A. Alimov. “Dong Jing Meng Hua Lu”: the Imperial Way — 64
Thе article focuses on the unique 12th c. Chinese text “Dong jing meng hua lu” by Meng Yuan-lao — an unparalleled written source in Chinese history providing comprehensive information on urban life during the Northern Song period. It constitutes the sixth publication in a series of works dedicated to “Dong jing meng hua lu”, and includes a complete annotated translation of the sections “The Imperial Way”, “Oversight offices, Government agencies, Palaces, and Structures in front of the Xuandelou”, and “Streets and Alleys outside the Zhuquemen”.
Keywords: China in the 10-13th centuries, Song era, Chinese city, Meng Yuan-lao, “Dong jing meng yua lu”.

Konstantin A. Beketov, Alexander B. Grishin, Natalya K. Beketova, Li Zhuangzhi. Images of War on Canvases by Russian and Chinese Artists at the Exhibition of Fine Art at the Changchun State Art Museum — 73
The article discusses the most important aspects of cooperation with China on the basis of intercultural interaction in the field of protecting common values, based on the joint struggle against German fascism and Japanese militarism, the transfer, through fine art, of images and symbols of friendship and unity of the Soviet and Chinese peoples to both modern youth and generations of the future. An analysis of the artistic and technical components of the paintings included in the exposition of the anniversary exhibition of the Changchun State Art Museum is given.
Keywords: 80th anniversary of the Victory, St. Petersburg Union of Artists, fine arts, intercultural communications, art exhibitions, Jilin Province, China.

Tаtiana A. Kubanova. Тhe Phenomenon of “Siberian Style” in Siberian Fine Arts. — 86
Thе article examines Siberia as a unique multi-ethnic, geographical area, and natural landscape that has shaped distinctive artistic practices. Using historical and cultural analysis, it highlights the institutionalization of the “Siberian style” and the participation of the Institute of Northern Peoples in Leningrad and the State Russian Museum in the development and popularization of the phenomenon. The influence of myth-making on the formation of neo-primitivism, as well as the transformation of traditional ornamental practices and the formation of original artistic systems, is studied. The article is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Yu. A. and L. I. Sem.
Keywords: The State Russian Museum, the Institute of Northern Peoples, myth, neo-primitivism, Siberian style, traditional art, ethnocultural identity.

ACADEMIC LIFE

Arslan Kh. Mingaliev, Svetlana A. Frolova. The Exhibition “The Road to the Sun: Oriental Collections of Kazan University. On the 225th Anniversary of the Orientalist and Rector Osip M. Kovalevsky” — 95

Tatiana V. Ermakova. The 20th Conference “Current issues of Buddhological and Indological Studies” (St. Petersburg, March 23–24, 2026) — 101

Keemya V. Orlova. International Scientific Conference “The First Mongolian Studies Readings” — 106

IN MEMORY

Vladimir L. Uspensky (1954-2025) Passed Away — 111

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